Reveal Podcast to Go Weekly in January

Reveal, the nation’s first investigative reporting radio series and podcast, will start releasing episodes on a weekly cadence beginning January 9, 2016.

PRX launched Reveal in conjunction with the Center for Investigate Reporting in January 2015, and saw a great deal of success in its first year. The show managed to inspire state and federal legislation, reforms in school policing, and additional attention to worker safety in the oil industry, among other things. With such high demand from audiences, CIR and PRX decided to produce more frequent episodes in order to raise the standard for investigative reporting.

Read the full details on the launch below:

“REVEAL,” NATION’S FIRST PUBLIC RADIO SERIES DEVOTED TOINVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM, EXPANDS TO WEEKLY EPISODES

Launched by CIR & PRX, Peabody Award-winning program ramps up frequency after its first year inspires reforms, policy changes, and debates nationwide

Emeryville, California– Capping a successful first year that inspired state and federal legislation, reforms in school policing, and additional attention to worker safety in the oil industry, “Reveal,” the nation’s first public radio show and podcast devoted to investigative reporting, will expand from monthly to weekly episodes beginning on January 9, 2016.

The Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) and PRX launched “Reveal” as a monthly show in January 2015. The show’s instant impact on policy and growing popularity among radio and podcast audiences reflect the seamless and successful translation of CIR’s award-winning reporting to the audio format. Founded in 1977, CIR is the nation’s longest-running independent, multi-platform investigative reporting organization. PRX is the public media company that distributes programs like This American Life, The Moth Radio Hour, and the Radiotopia podcast network.

Hosted by the award-winning Al Letson, creator of the public radio series “State of the Re:Union,” “Reveal” breaks down complex investigations into compelling, narrative-driven stories that inform, engage and often inspire audiences to act.

Each episode of “Reveal” is built around a theme and features an original investigative story along with related pieces that provide context, texture, and a deeper understanding of the topic. The show is based on reporting from CIR’s newsroom as well as from media partners around the world, and benefits from CIR’s signature approach to collaboration with other nonprofit and for-profit newsrooms including the Center for Public Integrity, Texas Tribune, The Houston Chronicle, New Hampshire Public Radio, WNYC, WAMU in Washington, D.C., Michigan Radio, and others.

The original “Reveal” pilot won a George Foster Peabody Award, one of broadcasting’s highest honors, for its September 2013 story about how the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs feeds veterans’ addictions to prescription opiates. Resulting policy changes resulted in 100,000 fewer veterans being prescribed opiates by the VA. Other episodes from the past year have led to increased accountability of oil companies for worker safety and the introduction of school police reforms in Virginia to protect students with behavior issues from abuse.

The new weekly version will be aired on major market stations in Seattle, Washington DC, San Diego, Miami and Boston, among others.

“For nearly forty years, CIR has set the bar for investigative reporting on multiple platforms, and we’re thrilled that our high standards have thrived in a new format, with a new generation of fans,” said Joaquin Alvarado, CEO of The Center for Investigative Reporting. “We look forward to having a platform on a weekly basis for the kind of high-impact journalism that holds the powerful accountable, shines a bright light on injustice, and protects the most vulnerable in our society.”

“‘Reveal’ has demonstrated its ability to deliver high-quality investigative stories that resonate with audiences on both an intellectual and emotional level,” said Kerri Hoffman, COO of PRX. “The increased frequency to a weekly program raises the standard for investigative reporting at a time when many news organizations are cutting back.”

Significant funding for “Reveal” comes from The Reva and David Logan Foundation, which in 2014 awarded CIR a three-year grant for the series, citing its founders’ commitment to investigative journalism as the “guardian of the public interest.” Other major supporters of Reveal include The Ford Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Knight Foundation and the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation.

About The Center For Investigative Reporting
The Center for Investigative Reporting is the nation’s first independent, multi-platform investigative reporting organization. Devoted to holding powerful interests accountable to the public trust, CIR creatively employs cutting-edge technology and innovative storytelling to reveal injustice, spark change at all levels of society and influence public dialogue on critical issues. CIR produces high-impact reporting across print, video, TV, radio and online platforms and is the recipient of the prestigious MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, winner of a 2013 Emmy Award and a 2014 George Foster Peabody Award, and a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2012 (for local reporting) and 2013 (for public service). Learn more at revealnews.org.

About PRX
PRX is an award-winning nonprofit public media company, harnessing innovative technology to bring compelling stories to millions of people. PRX.org operates public radio’s largest distribution marketplace, offering tens of thousands of audio stories for broadcast and digital use, including This American Life, The Moth Radio Hour, Sound Opinions, State of the Re:Union, Snap Judgment, and WTF with Marc Maron. PRX Remix is PRX’s 24/7 channel featuring the best independent radio stories and new voices. PRX was created through a collaboration of the Station Resource Group and Atlantic Public Media, and receives support from public radio stations and producers, The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Ford Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Wyncote Foundation, and Knight Foundation. Follow us on Twitter at @prx.